Suspended student wins union presidency

Six years ago, Chris Taiwo was placed on suspension by the authorities of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, after he lost bid to be elected as president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG).

During the election held last week, Chris emerged leader of the union. In the build up to the poll, aspirants thronged the campus and off-campus hostels with their supporters sharing posters to canvass for votes. They also stationed billboards at strategic places for awareness.

The election was held simultaneously in the six faculties on the Ogbomoso campus and also at the College of Health Sciences, Osogbo. Security personnel including Man O’ War and cadets were drafted to maintain peace during the process. Red Cross officials and LAUTECH Road Safety Corps were on hand to ensure smooth process.

To ensure the best got elected, the Union of Campus Journalists organised a debate for the aspirants. On the election day, members of the electoral commission with Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sulaiman Gbadegesin, moved round the campus to monitor the election.

The process was marred by low turnout of students. When the election ended, collation exercise could not follow immediately because ballot boxes were being transported from Osogbo. Students and observers besieged the convocation ground, the venue of the collation.

Around 11:30 pm in the evening, the results were announced.

Chris was returned as the president-elect. In 2007, he was suspended because of the controversy that trailed his defeat in union election. He, however, wrote another entrance exam and was re-admitted into his former department.

He also lost the union election last session but re-contested and won last week. As his name was announced as the winner, his supporters shouted “Abraham Lincoln of LAUTECH”.

Declaring the winner, the chairman of the electoral commission, Dr Siyanbade Adewale, said Chris garnered 1,992 votes to defeat his close rival, Bolanle Sherrifdeen, who polled 1,473 votes.